One Big Thing that Dallas Is Missing (Houston, Center: how much, pool)

[unexpected]

Originally Posted by aceplace

The University of North Texas said Tuesday the school is ready to invest up to $25 million in programs that could grow the school’s reputation as a research institution, as well as the state’s economy, by emphasizing studies related to areas like technology and genetics.

The full story is at UNT to launch $25 million research effort - Dallas Business Journal:

That's awesome, but according to you, that shouldn't matter right? Students can receive a quality education anywhere! Why should UNT even invest the money in the first place?

[aceplace]

The University of North Texas said Tuesday the school is ready to invest up to $25 million in programs that could grow the school’s reputation as a research institution, as well as the state’s economy, by emphasizing studies related to areas like technology and genetics.

Originally Posted by unexpected

That's awesome, but according to you, that shouldn't matter right? Students can receive a quality education anywhere! Why should UNT even invest the money in the first place?

That's right, it doesn't matter, since research quality has nothing to do with the quality of teaching or the ability to learn.

[aceplace]

If you think the DFW universities are bereft of research and have no national impact in that area, here's a counter example of significant research by a Dallas institution. Of course it doesn't really relate to the clarity and viability of the teaching process, especially at an undergraduate level, but it may rescue the civic pride of those who have a hangdog, defeatist attitude about DFW institutions...

Here's a header for the article and a link to the body...

.................................................. ........

From University of Texas at Dallas (press release) - Dallas,TX,

Space Scientists Study Sun's Effect on Temperatures in the Ionosphere

Two satellite instruments built by UT Dallas researchers for a NASA-funded mission are showing the impact of low solar activity on the Earth’s ionosphere.

Link is at Space Scientists Study Sun's Effect on Temperatures in the Ionosphere

[UNT_Eagle]

Originally Posted by unexpected

That's awesome, but according to you, that shouldn't matter right? Students can receive a quality education anywhere! Why should UNT even invest the money in the first place?

Alright, score one for my alma mater!!

They just keep making things happen..

[aceplace]

Originally Posted by UNT_Eagle

Alright, score one for my alma mater!!

They just keep making things happen..

As a former Mean Green myself, I too am proud of my alma mater!

[artsyguy]

UT didn't have good quality professors when I was there. Total hype.

Originally Posted by lpepping

My two cents. SMU is not on par with Rice. My experience there was good access to professors and small class sizes. I don't think you can find that at UT. That was important to me and part of the reason I chose to go there. They also have a really good business school that offers good exposure to the business world.

[artsyguy]

Absolutely true. That is why I hated going to UT. It isn't that I couldn't succeed. It's that I didn't want to in that sort of environment.

Originally Posted by aceplace

One consideration is that schools such as Rice and UTAustin are not really better at teaching, they are just piggybacking on the quality of their students. They are able to recruit the sort of students who will excel, no matter how well or how badly they are taught. And only because they have a preestablished reputation, and the top people want to be associated with that reputation. The thing they are good at is selecting top people, not necessarily educating them.

For example, Bill Gates, of Microsoft. He was selected to attend Harvard, but dropped out after a few weeks in order to found the Microsoft corporation with his partner Paul Allen. Thus, Harvard University had no input to his career. Steve Jobs of Apple is another example of a succesful selection who dropped out of college.

If yopu are one of the most brilliant young people in America, it doesn't matter if you go to Rice, or to UT Arlington... you will succeed either way. Because the school really doesn't matter.

[Howest2008]

After reading 17 pages on this thread I can say that Houston has a World Class University "A University On A Par With The Best In The World" and Dallas Doesn't have one (((and Dallas doesn't even want one))) and Dallas Never Will Have one A World Class University. Thanks you for this very interesting thread guys.

[aceplace]

Originally Posted by Howest2008

After reading 17 pages on this thread I can say that Houston has a World Class University "A University On A Par With The Best In The World" and Dallas Doesn't have one (((and Dallas doesn't even want one))) and Dallas Never Will Have one A World Class University. Thanks you for this very interesting thread guys.

Rice is too small and insignificant to be a world class anything. 3,000 students? that's the size of a high school, not a university.

The vast majority of Houston's world class students are in the same place as Dallas' ... resident in existing universities such as U of H, U T Arlington, UNT, etc.

[sxrckr]

Originally Posted by aceplace

Rice is too small and insignificant to be a world class anything. 3,000 students? that's the size of a high school, not a university.

This thread is STILL going?

Anyway, that is absolutely NOT true. Look at some of the discoveries and research spurred by Rice, especially in bioinformatics and nanotechnology. You don't need a huge school population to do that. Just a really smart, well-funded one (and being next door to the world-class Texas Medical Center helps.)

Rice University | News & Media
Rice University | News & Media
Rice scientists make breakthrough in single-molecule sensing
GCC for Computational Cancer Research
Quantum dot recipe may lead to cheaper solar panels
New cancer weapon: nuclear nanocapsules, Bio/Medicine, Rice University - NanoTechWire.com - The online resource for Nano Technology And Research
Buckyballs used as 'passkey' into cancer cells ( Scientists at Rice University and pedia...)
Biotech Breakthrough Could End Biodiesel Glycerin Glut
Rice scientists make breakthrough in single-molecu... ( HOUSTON Feb. 6 2008 -- In a study th...)
Single-molecule Sensing Breakthrough: Optical and Electronic Measurements Made Simultanously